Protect : Protect yourself from Medicare errors, fraud, and abuse.Protecting your personal information is the best line of defense in the fight against healthcare fraud and abuse. Every day, consumers get ripped off by scam artists. Medicare and Medicaid lose billions of dollars each year. You can make a difference!

Here are some ways to take an active role in protecting your healthcare benefits:

Treat your Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security numbers like a credit card number. Never give these numbers to a stranger.

Remember, Medicare doesn't call or visit to sell you anything.

Don't carry your Medicare or Medicaid card unless you will need it. Only take it to doctor's appointments, visits to your hospital or clinic, or trips to the pharmacy.

Save Medicare Summary Notices and Part D Explanation of Benefits. Shred the documents when they are no longer useful.

Detect : Learn to detect potential errors, fraud, and abuse.Even when you do everything right, there is a chance that you could be a target of healthcare fraud. There are a lot of ways that your personal information can be used without your permission.

Here are some steps you can take to detect potential errors, fraud and abuse:

Report : If you suspect that you have been a target of errors, fraud, and abuse, report it.If you suspect errors, fraud or abuse, report it immediately! You will protect other people from becoming victims and help to save your Medicare benefits.

Here are the steps you should take to report your concerns and abuse:

If you have questions about information on your Medicare Summary Notice or Part D Explanation of Benefits, call your provider or plan first.

If you are not comfortable calling your provider or plan or you are not satisfied with the response you get, call your local SMP, Senior LinkAge Line®,
at 1-800-333 2433.

Individual copies and large quantities of the Don't Be a Target of Healthcare Fraud brochure and the Healthcare Journal are available from the Senior LinkAge Line®
at 1-800-333 2433.

Disclaimer
This website was supported, in part, by a grant from the Administration on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration on Aging policy.

Public Assistance

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is committed to ensuring the programs it oversees provide appropriate benefits to people who are eligible to receive them. Anyone who suspects public assistance fraud can report it anonymously.